Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-05-13

tween him and Banks at Strasburg, lay
Col Kenly, with 400 Federal troops If
jackson could annihilate this force the con-
nectlon between the armies of Banks and Nc
Dowel would be broken.
Accordingly, May %, he made fierce at
tack on Col. kenly's little band at Front
Royal and cut it to pieces. This was the
third battle of the Shenandoah campaign.
There was nothing now between Stonewall
jackson and Banks.
Banks retreated with his small force yet
farther north. He left Strasburg and started
for Winchester.
1t was now race and a chase between
Banks and jackson to the Potomac. If Jack
son paused till the forces of Fremont or Nc
Dowell could come up he would be cut to
pieces. He therefore determined to push on,
surround Banks if possible and destroy his
army before it could be REINFORCED. He pur-
sued Banks hotly, and once more the old town
of Winchester became the scene of a fight,
the fourth in the campaign. Banks kept back
for several hours the advancing Confederates.
This was May "a and 25. But the southern
soldiers poured in in larger and larger num-
bers There was nothing but to run for it.
From Winchester Banks retreated to
Martinsburg. He only waited here two
hours, when he was DIP and away again. At
sunset, May %, Banks reached the Potomac
river at Williamsport
| To get on the Maryland side of the river
was the next thing. The broken army had
retreated in confusion, leaving great quanti-
ties of stores behind them. jackson had lit
| orally driven them into the Potomac. Into
the river they plunged. The ferry took across
the ammunition train, the cavalry swan
| thait ba nv he
ford and the infantry were conveyed over by
means of pontoon bridge, which had been
brought down the valley from the upper
Shenandoah.
At last the remnant of Gen. Banks broken
army was all across, just in tme for at that
moment jackson appeared opposite on the
| Virginia side of the Potomac.
"Never were more grateful hearts i'll the
same number of men than when at midday
on the Goth we stood on the opposite shore,
said Gen. Banks afterward.
Gen. Banks was SO deeply chagrned at his
| forced retreat that he is said to have shed
tears over it. He declared that he had been
| sacrificed by his government, that had
stripped him of Shields division and then left
him to meet Stonewall Jackson with less than
third the number of the Confederate
| troops.
On May 81 Jackson rested one day and had
religious service performed in camp, III which
he gave thanks to God for the victory of the
southern arms. He had marched from his
camp south of Luray in three days distance
of sixty miles, and had fought two battles OF
the way.
May "a there was panic i'll Washington
when it became known that Banks was re
treating to the Potomac with jackson after
him full tilt. Jackson's Shenandoah cam
paign probably prevented the capture Of
Richmond by Mcclellan in the summer OF
1862. Mcdowell was at Fredericksburg will
10000 men under orders to cooperate witt
and finally join Mcclellan before Richmond
The defeat of Milroy and the chase of Bank
down the Shenandoah shattered at one stroke
the plans in front of Richmond. Presiden
Lincoln telegraphed Mcdowell May "a to pu
10000 men in motion for the Shenandoah
valley at once. Mcdowell obeyed reluctantly
He wrote the president: 81 have a heavy
heart in the matter. | feel that it throws IL
all back, and from Richmond north we shal
have all our large masses paralyzed."
jackson had driven Banks down and out o
the Shenandoah valley and marched his arm.
almost into the very teeth of Washington
But the now thoroughly aroused Union armie
were undoubtedly S,xyzFfrS
march ing upon AlTSfETN@
him, McDowells Esbs~ NANSSGN
force from the east, @ ESs,.GfA
Fremont's from the EMNIiy
west. How should ASIESy
he get out and back TC&Y
up the Shenandoah ISN HTt~
valleyl He had ac- e2s.,a,lttsj Sa|I
} complished entirely "a sSSSI4,p|sfM
what he had &ANIsA s3A,
planned to do. u,aAlS: N<s5889i56H
That was to give <sex5vS'sssSssss- n f3gl/ us
the Washing ton sJ&4g438ysTt5f' Ia. n
authorities a scare " ""Sr'
and prevent Nc MAJ GEN j. G. FREMONT
Dowel from joining Mcclellan before Ricl
mond. He had now to look out for his ow
safety.
On the Goth jackson began to retreat froI